Artificial limb



Oct. 6, 1942. s. R. ANDERSON ARTIFICIAL LIMB Filed July is, 1941 San zuel R ATTIIORINIYIS Patented Oct. 6, 1942 UNlTED STATE S PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to artificial limbs, and its general object is to provide a limb that is designed for persons having a leg amputated above the knee, in that the limb includes thigh, calf and foot members constructed and joined together to bring about relative movement thereof in a substantially natural manner, with minimum effort on the part of the wearer, as well as to prevent any possibility of the members becoming locked together, or the limb buckling or collapsing under the weight of the wearer.

- A further object is to provide an artificial limb that includes a padded cover for the calf member to bring about a lower leg portion that conforms to that of the natural limb of the wearer. Another object is to provide an artificial limb that is light in weight, and is not only comfortable but gives the wearer utmost confidence and ease of mind, due to the natural movement of the joined members and the natural shape of the calf portion.

A still further object is to provide an artificial limb or leg that includes a shock absorber in the ankle joint, which not only adds to the joint structure to bring about natural movement of the foot member relative to the calf member, but also eliminates shocks and jars.

Another object is to provide an artificial limb that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely efiicient in operation, use and service. i

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specificallypointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken through the limb which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front view thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 3-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line l.4 on Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that the limb includes a thigh member I, a calf member 2, and a foot member 3.

The thigh member includes a body 4 that .may

be made from a single sheet of any suitable mav terial, such as light weight metal, rolled in cross sectional oval shape substantially cylindrical formation, and the body is tapered outwardly from its lower end to an outwardly flared upper end. The upper portion of the body to its upper end is reinforced by front and rear plates 5 riveted or otherwise secured thereto and is provided with a covering 6 of sheet leather or the like that is slit at intervals for disposal about the upper edge to fit the inner and outer faces of the upper portion, with the major portion of the covering disposed within the body, as best shown in Figure 1. The covering is secured to the upper portion by a lace I that is threaded through openings therein and disposed aboutthe outer face of the body to be held in place by the flange provided by the outwardly flared upper end. Suitable padding, not shown, is disposed within the upper portion of the body to cooperate with the covering 6 to prevent injury to the wearer.

The body is recessed at the front and rear thereof, with the recesses extending from the lower end, to provide depending side tongues 8,

- the front recess being longer than the rear recess to extend above the latter, and the body is provided with a rectangular opening 9 along its length, adjacent to the upper end of the front recess. Disposed about the edge of the opening 9 is a reinforcing frame 10 that is riveted or otherwise secured to the body, as best shown in Figure 2. A pair of slots I l are provided between the opening and the upper end of the front recess, for a purpose which will be later described,

- and the rear portion of the body above the rear recess is reinforced by inner and outer plates l2 which together with the body have fixed thereto the leaves [3 of a hinge barrel it that is mounted within the recess, as best shown in Figure l.

. Bridging the body and secured to the sides thereof for disposal flush with the upper end of the front recess is an arcuate stop plate l5 having padding secured to the under face thereof for a purpose which will be later apparent.

The calf member likewise includes a body It made from a single sheet of light weight metal rolled in cross sectional oval shape substantially in cylindrical formation, with the rear portion thereof throughout its length outwardly bulged.

- The longitudinal edges of the body l6 are joined together by a strip l1 throughout the length thereof, which is riveted or otherwise secured to the body, as shown in Figure l, and the upper portion of the body I0 is recessed at the front and rear thereof to provide side members [8 received between the tongues 8 when the thigh and calf members are aligned with each other, as best shown in Figure 2.

Inner and outer reinforcing bands I9 and 20 are riveted or otherwise secured about the upper portion of the body I6, and together with the latter terminate at their rear ends into parallel ears 2| that have a bearing collar 22 between the same and secured accordingly by a bolt and nut connection 23, the collar being mounted in the hinge barrel [4 for cooperation therewith for hingedly joining the thigh member with the calf member at the rear of the limb, as best shown in Figure 1.

Secured to and bridging the spaced upper portions of the body I6 is an arcuate cap plate 24 that contacts the padding of the stop plate I to limit the forward movement of the calf member in alignment with the thigh member, and of course the padding between the plates I5 and 24 not only eliminates shocks and jars, but also sound that would be produced in the event the plates should contact each other,

In order to normally hold the thigh and calf members in alignment with each other, and to urge the same accordingly, I provide a tape or strip 25 of elastic material that has its lower end secured to a slotted lug 26 fixed to thecalf member adjacent the lower end thereof, as" shown in Figure l, and the upper end portion of the strip 25 is connected to the thigh member by being threaded through the slots I I and locked therein for ready removal therefrom. By that construction, it will be obvious that the'strip 25 is adjustable and that the elastic action thereof can be varied as desired, inan easy and expeditious manner;

The strip 25 is mounted for movement on a flanged roller 2'! that is journaled in a mounting bracket 28 secured to and arranged. between the forward portions of the upper end of the calf member for disposal within the front recess thereof, as best shown in Figure 1.

Fixed within the lower end ofthe calf member is a plug 29-that may be made from wood or the like, and the plug fits within the lower end to close the same.

The foot member includes a sole shaped body 39 having a striplike frame 3| disposed about and rising from the margin thereof, and. secured accordingly by tabs 32 that are formed on the body 30 and riveted: to the frame, in the form shown.

The foot member is connected to the calf member by front andlateral fabric web elements 33 and 34, the lateral web element being disposed about the heel and arch portions of the body 30, and with the upper. ends of the side portions thereof secured to the sides of the calf member, while the upper end of the front web element is formed to provide a fixed loop 35 that is connected toa U-bracket 36. The lower end of the front web element is fixed to a plug 31 mounted in the toe" of the foot member, and an elastic band 38' is threaded through slots in the frame 3|, to overlie and bear against the front socket members 40 and M is an elastic cylindrical member 42, shaped to fit the same for frictional engagement therewith. The member 42 may be tubular or solid, but in any event it holds the foot member spaced relative to the calf member and not only absorbs shocks and jars, but cooperates with the flexible web elements 33 and 34, to bring about natural movement of the foot member.

The calf member is provided with a padded cover 43, shaped so that when it is secured in place about the calf member, the calf portion of the artificial limb will conform to that of the natural limb of the wearer. The cover 43 is provided with hems 44 at the upper and lower ends thereof, with laces 45 threaded therethrough for securing the upper and lower ends of the cover 43 about the calf member, and secured to the cover along the longitudinal edges thereof are reinforcing strips 46 having eyelets 41 therein for receiving a lace 48 for cooperation with the laces 45, for securing the covering in place, as will be apparent.

The calf member is shown as having circular openings 49 therein, and like openings may be provided in the thigh member, to not only freely ventilate the same, but to reduce the weight thereof.

Secured to the upper end portion of the body of the thigh member are looped members 50 for receiving straps to be connected to the belt or for disposal about the shoulder of the wearer, for securing the limb in place, as will be apparent.

From the above description and disclosure in the drawing, it is believed that the operation of the limb will be obvious, but it might be mentioned that the members are normally held in alignment as shown, but when the weight of the wearer is placed thereon and a forward step is taken, the foot member will bend freely on its joint connecting the same to thecalf member to bring about a natural movement thereof. A slight forward movement at the joint between the calf and thigh members is present at the end of the step and when the limb is raised prior to taking another step, the tape 25 and elastic member 42 will snap the calf and foot members back .to their normal position, thus bringing about natural movement of the limb during walking action. Due to the construction of the members and the particular joints connecting the same together, it will be further obvious that buckling or collapsing of the limb is impossible and that the limb is practically noiseless, as well as absorbs shocks and jars.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will. be readily apparent.

web element substantially midway its ends, as

best shown in Figure 1.

Secured to a cross member 39 that is fixed to the frame 3I- in bridging relation thereto, is a lower tubular socket member 43, arranged to underlie and register with an upper tubular socket member 4 I that is mounted in the forward portion of the plug 29. Mounted in the It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an artificial. limb, a calf member and a foot member, the latter including a sole shaped body, a frame shaped to follow the marginal edge of the body and secured to and rising therefrom, a web element connected to the lower end of the calf member and the forward end of the body, a web element having its ends secured upon opposite sides of the calf member and disposed about the under face of the body for cooperation with the first mentioned web element for connecting the foot member to the calf member for swinging movement, and resilient means mounted between the calf member and the body to control the movement of the foot member and to hold the same spaced from the calf member.

2. In an artificial limb, a calf member and a foot member, a bracket secured to the front of the lower end of the calf member, a flexible web element having one end secured to the bracket and its opposite end to the toe of the foot member, an elastic band threaded through the foot member and bearing against the top of the web element, a flexible Web element secured to and 10 foot member spaced from the calf member.

SAMUEL R. ANDERSON. 

